Questing In Valtessa

"Do we have enough puni balls yet?"

"Looks like it," Joe responded, wiping puni goo off of his mech sword. "These things are so... Gummy."

"I hear that you can turn them into candy somehow," Tia said. "Wonder what they taste like?"

"Why don't you ask that angsty girl at the book shop? I hear she's weird. Like you. Only less weird."

Tia stuck out her tongue. "I am not weird!"

"Whatever you say...," Joe answered, snickering. "Anyway, let's get back to the Guild and collect the reward. We should be ranking up soon and I know how much you want to check out Grimoire Castle, Gothia."

"I am not goth! I'm just... You know... Dark and stuff."

"Whatever you say miss 'carries a scythe, wears black and purple and thinks Shadow Girls are cool.' Let's go already. I'd like to leave before the Alterworld actually tosses us out. I hate that."

Aww c'mon!" Tia whined. "Let's walk on for awhile. I want to pick up some mushrooms for soup anyway."

"Can't you just get them at the grocery store?" Joe sighed.

"But these are fresher!" Tia insisted. "Plus they're free!"

"Cheapia..."

"What was that?"

Joe rolled his eyes. "Oh nothing". I guess I don't have a choice. So let's go mushroom picking. Just make sure they aren't poisonous this time."

The two Raiders walked down a path that was known for it's abundance in mushrooms. Tia set out to pick as many as her bag could hold. "What do you think Shadow Girls are like?" She asked suddenly.

"I don't know. We haven't gotten clearance for Grimoire yet."

"I wonder if they're nice..."

"They're monsters," Joe replied. "I don't think they want to be your friend."

"But they look human," Tia insisted. "Just with bat wings, horns and talons. Plus I hear they can talk. Hey! Think there are any Shadow Boys?"

"Great," Joe sighed. "That's all we need. You chasing after gothic bat boys."

Tia stuck her tongue out once more and then bent down to pick up a mushroom. "This place..."

"What about it?"

"Well... A few weeks ago when you were sick from that poison-"

"Mushroom soup that you gave me," Joe finished grimly.

"It was an accident! Besides, it's not like you died or anything."

"Sure felt like I was going to anyway. Maybe if you would consult a field guide-"

"Well for your information I did. This morning," Tia replied. "And these mushrooms I'm picking are just fine. Anyway, as I was saying... While you were sick I teamed up with another Raider to do a quest. He was ranked lower than me and kind of weak. But he seemed like an ok guy."

"Let me guess... He was cute?"

"Well he was kind of cute actually. But that's not why I teamed up with him. Why do you always insist-"

"Because as soon as you see a guy that you think is hot you get all distracted and spazzed out over it."

"I do not!" Tia insisted. "Now can I please finish my story?"

"Go ahead."

"Ahem!" Anyway, He introduced himself as Crowley. He was wearing a cloak. I thought that was odd since it's so hot out lately. But he told me that he had a weak constitution and got chills easily. You know, I thought a guy like that shouldn't be overexerting himself in the Alterworld. But I didn't want to say anything because he was trying so hard. He told me that he wanted to rank up and he gave me a card from the bulletin board with a quest on it. He asked if I would help him. It was a pretty easy quest. Gather five pieces of eiche for a wood carver. Pretty simple right? But he told me that he didn't think he could do it alone."

"Really?" Joe asked. "As long as he stuck close to the entrance he shouldn't have to face anything stronger than a puni."

"Well that's just it," Tia continued. "He couldn't handle punis alone. He told me so. That's why he needed help."

"You've got to be kidding me. Are you sure that he just didn't want to get you alone in the forest and turn all sleazy on you?"

"No way. He wasn't like that at all. In fact he was pretty nice. Shy though. Stammered a lot. I don't think he had much experience talking to girls. And if he wasn't so desperate to rank up I don't think he would have even had the nerve to ask me to help him. But it was pretty early and there wasn't really anyone else around."

"So he got stuck with you huh?" Joe teased. "I feel sorry for him."

Tia scowled. "Very funny. But moving right along, when we got to Valtessa he seemed a little nervous. Apparently he had a bad time there before."

"Let me guess... Punis?"

Tia sighed. "Yeah. But I actually felt pretty bad for him. After about five minutes of walking he seemed really out of breath so I made him rest. We sat on a log and got to talking. I wanted to know more about him. He really didn't seem like Raider material. I thought maybe he came from one of those rich families that shelter their kids or something. Or maybe he had asthma or some other illness. What with the chills and the breathlessness and how weak he was. But I was kinda afraid to ask because I didn't know him that well. So instead I asked him how long he had been in Zey Meruze and when he signed up to become a Raider."

"Let me guess," Joe said. "It was only his second day."

"Nope," Tia replied. "He had been a Raider for longer than us! About three months actually. And he hadn't ranked up once."

"Time to think about a career change," Joe mused.

"Hey! That isn't nice. He was an ok guy. I think he just needed to pace himself and build up some endurance. Maybe see a doctor, take some vitamins, start lifting weights... Stuff like that. He had the drive. He just didn't have the stamina."

"So what else did he say about himself?"

"He said he came here from another town about four months ago. He wanted to be a Raider. It was his dream to become strong. But before I could ask more these three jerks attacked us!"

"Rogue Raiders trying to steal your stuff? That's against the rules you know."

"They weren't Raiders, Joe. They were punis. And total jerks!"

"Really? Punis don't usually ambush people."

"Well like I said, these punis were jerks. They called themselves the Puni Brothers and acted like they owned the place. They attacked Crowley first and he went down pretty easily. I tossed him a heal jar and he got back up and tried his best. He had a simple sword on him and a some zuftuff water. I guess status effects are a good plan when you're a weak fighter. He managed to put one of the Puni Brothers to sleep and get in a few attacks. But I had to take care of the other two myself. They were tougher than regular punis."

"Did he beat the one he was fighting?" Joe asked, curious.

"Nope. It woke up and attacked him. His second and third bottle of zuftuff water didn't work and he was backed into a tree and completely out of breath. I thought he was gonna faint. But I was able to drive the puni away with a flame bomb. In the end all three Puni Brothers ran like cowards. Those things hate fire you know. I'm gonna tell Phenyl about them. If they keep harassing low level Raiders it's going to be bad for the Guild. But after all that I thought poor Crowley was too weak to go on. But he insisted that we gather the eiche. I was really careful to avoid monsters. We made it back unscathed but he was so tired."

"Did he end up passing out?"

"Thankfully no. But I could hear his heart pounding. I was kind of scared for a minute that he'd... You know... But at least he ranked up for his effort. I felt so bad for him that I decided to let him have the reward. It was only 600 cole and three heal jars. I figured that he needed the stuff more than I did."

"Obviously..." Joe agreed. "That was generous of you. Who would have thought."

"Hey! I can be generous. Good thing I know you're just teasing me."

"Yeah whatever you say..."

Tia folded her arms across her chest and stuck out her tongue for the third time. "Meanie! Anyway, He was pretty gracious about it. Even though he insisted that I take half the loot. But I told him it was ok because he had chosen the quest in the first place. Before he could insist any more I told him that I'd take him home. It didn't really look like he was gonna make it there himself. So I got a Fairy Taxi and paid the 10 cole. He showed me where his house was and I walked him there. I told him to get some rest and not to give up. He thanked me and seemed pretty enthused. I don't think Crowley gets paid many words of encouragement"

"Well that was nice of you. Wish you were that nice to me."

"Oh quit teasing!"

This time it was Joe who stuck his tongue out. "Anyway, I'm surprised that you haven't invited him along with us yet. He'd be safer traveling with two people if he's as weak as you say."

"Well that's just it," Tia explained. "I can't find him anywhere. that's why I was late to meet you today. I went to Crowley's house to ask him if he'd like to come along. I figured since we were doing an easy quest it would be perfect for him. I knocked and there was no answer. One of the neighbor ladies was outside sweeping her walkway and I asked her if she had seen Crowley this morning. I figured maybe he had went to the Guild already. But this lady told me that the house had been empty for at least two weeks and that she and the other neighbors were beginning to think that it was abandoned."

"You think he decided to go back to his old town because he couldn't cut it as a Raider?" Joe asked. "It's not like this would be the first time something like that happened. I mean you see it every day. People are always coming and going in Zey Meruze."

"Well that's a possibility...," Tia replied. "But he seemed so determined. I just hope that he wasn't hurt in the Alterworld and-"

"Well don't even think about that Tia. You'll just worry yourself. He's probably fine." Joe assured.

"Yeah. You could be right but..."

"What?"

Tia shook her head. "I just can't shake off the feeling that something bad might have happened to him. I think I'll ask Anna if she's seen him lately."

"Speaking of Anna," Joe began. "I think we should be heading back to the Guild now. If you put any more mushrooms in that bag it's gonna burst."

"Ok, ok. Let's go then," Tia said, tying her bag shut so the mushrooms wouldn't fall out. "Oh hey!" She added excitedly. "Guess what I heard?"

"What?"

"There's a girl in town who knows alchemy! I think I'm gonna ask her if she can give me lessons."

"Great," Joe sighed, rolling his eyes. "That's all I need. You finding even more ways to poison me."

"Hey! I told you! That was an accident!"

"And that's what worries me."

~Fin~

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